Germany's network regulator will limit Deutsche Bahn's capacity on busy routes to allow new competitors, including Italy's Italo, to enter the market by 2028.
Key facts
- •Deutsche Bahn currently holds approximately 95 percent of Germany's long-distance rail market.
- •The new rules will limit any single operator to 60 to 75 percent of capacity on specific routes.
- •Italian rail operator Italo intends to begin competing on German lines starting in 2028.
- •The railway union EVG claims 16 cities could see reduced high-speed rail service due to the changes.
- •Deutsche Bahn has formally contested the regulator's decision, alleging legal and procedural flaws.
The German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has ruled that Deutsche Bahn must surrender a portion of its capacity on high-traffic rail routes to competitors. This decision aims to break the state-owned operator's near-monopoly on long-distance travel, which currently accounts for approximately 95 percent of the market. The move clears the way for the Italian rail company Italo to begin operations in Germany starting in 2028.
By the numbers
New Capacity Limits for Deutsche Bahn
Under the new regulations, the infrastructure division DB InfraGO will no longer be permitted to allocate all available capacity on busy routes to its parent company. Depending on the specific route, a single operator will be limited to between 60 and 75 percent of total capacity. The regulator intends to set these specific limits annually during the scheduling process to ensure at least one other operator can compete on major lines.
Opposition and Concerns Over Service
Deutsche Bahn has challenged the decision, citing procedural errors and questioning the legal basis for the intervention. Several German states, including Bavaria, Brandenburg, and Hamburg, have also expressed concern that increased competition on profitable routes could lead to the neglect or cancellation of less profitable services. The railway union EVG warned that at least 16 cities could face reduced or eliminated high-speed train stops if revenues from major lines are diverted.
Italo's Planned Market Entry
The Italian operator Italo plans to invest billions of euros to compete on high-demand routes, specifically targeting connections such as Munich–Frankfurt–Cologne–Dortmund and Munich–Berlin–Hamburg. While proponents of the reform expect lower prices and better service, critics argue that the shift could threaten the cross-subsidization model that currently funds rail services in smaller cities and regions.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by N1 Info.
